Fire-escape



(No Model.)

A. G. BIERBACH.

FIRE ESCAPE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. BIERBACH, OF MILVAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,256, dated October 27, 1885.

Application tiled August 10, 1885. Serial No. 173,953.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. BIERBACH, ofMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lvisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I -do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofsaid invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or tlgures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a movable stand-pipe-and fire-escape, and an improved device for moving and operating the same, either from the ground or ladder,where by a reman upon the ladder may readily move himself and the staud-pipe to any point desired along the sides of a building.

The construction of my improvements is explained by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l represents a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is a side view, ofthe upper end of the invention attached to a building. Fig. 3 is a detail.

Like parts are represented by the same reference-letters throughout the several views.

The tubular supporting-track or tramway Aand truck B, from which the stand-pipe and ladder are suspended, are constructed and attached to a building in substantially the saine manner as that shown in Patents Nos. 278,310 and 287,410, now owned .by myself. Vhen used in connection with a curved track such as are provided for going around the corners of a building, the hangers a a of the truck are connected together by a jointed bar, E, as shown; but for ordinary straight tracks or tramways the bar may be made in a single rigid piece. The lower ends of the hangers a a either form a continuation of the upper end of the ladder G or the sides of the ladder are attached to them bya link-joint, as shown, the joint between the ladder and hangers being necessary in all cases where the truck is compelled to move in a curved course. When the stand-pipe C, ladder G', and balconies H are all used in connection with each other, as shown, the balconies serve to connect such parts rigidly together, the balconies being (No model.)

supported from the respective sides GfG of the ladder, while the balconies serve to support the stand-pi pe. The uppeiends of the ladder may terminate at the tramway; but for convenience in reaching theladder from the roof itis preferably extended upward above the tramway. Theladder and stand-pipe may be connected together by a bar or bracket and suspended independently of the balconies H; but for convenience yin reaching the ladder I prefer to have a balcony opposite each of the several stories ofa building. The stand-pipe is provided with 'one or more places of attachment, I, for hose-pipe, as may be required for the admission and escape of water.

To provide Afor moving the stand-pipe and escape along its supporting way or track,either from the ground or from any point of the ladder, I employ a cl1ain`or wire cable, J, which has its ends attached at a fixed point to the walls of the building or other stationary support, from whence it extends to the stand-pipe or escape and passes over the pulleys K K, and from thence down the respective sides of the ladder, the central or downward looped partofthe cable reachingto or near the ground, at which point said central part may pass loosely around or through a retaining arm or keeper, L, `which serves to hold the lower end of said cableor chain and prevent it from swinging or getting out of its proper place.

lf desired, the pulleys K K and the chain or cable may be usedwith the movable ladder and truck independently of the stand-pipes. The sides of the ladder`,G G,are preferably of such length as to pass freely over the ground without contact tl1erewith5`l ut to provide for making the lower ends of the ladder more stable, and to prevent it from swinging against the sides of the building, I attach an extension-piece, N, to the lower round of the ladder, as shown, which manner of attachment permits said piece to be folded up against one side of the upper part of the ladder when not in use, or when used to be turned downward, so as to rest upon the ground or against the side of the building. The lower end of the extension-piece is provided with rollers b b, which -as the ladder is moved roll along the ground or against the building. The upper IOO pended therefrom are moved toward the right,

while the slack of the cable, as it is drawn down upon such side, rises upon the other side of the ladder, passing freely over thepulleyK on such side, and from thence is drawn out intoa horizontal position. Vhen desired to move the apparatus in the opposite direction, the cable or chain upon such side is drawn downward, when the slack in like manner passes down and up again as before, assuming the horizontal position upon the opposite side of the escape. Thus it is obvious vthat a person at any point upon the ladder may readily move the apparatus to any point desired in any story along the walls of the building, wherebyitis obvious that the means for reaching and controlling fire in high buildings is greatly facilitated.

It is obvious that my device for moving the escape may be applied to any form of movable escape regardless of the form of the track, and it may also be used with ladders without balconies or stand-pipe. I prefer, however, to use all the parts together, substantially as shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination ofaslotted tubular track 4o or tramway, a metallic stand-pipe suspended from a carriage in said tramway,having inlet and outlet hose-connections, and aladder suspended from said tramway and connected at intervals rigidly with said stand-pi pe, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the movable ladder G and stand-pipe C, as together suspended from a tramway upon the side of a building, the pulleys K K, and chain or cable J, pass- 5o ing over said pulleys and affixed atits ends to the building, substantially as set forth.

3'. The combination of the track A, truck or carriage B, movable ladder G', standpipe C, and series of balconies H H, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the track A, aiixed to the side of a building, truck or carriage B, ladder G', stand-pipe C, series of balconies H, affixed to said ladder and stand-pipe, pulleys 6o K K, and chain or cable J, passing over said pulleys and connected at its respect-ive ends to the building, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the lower end of the movable ladder G', of the jointed exten- 65 sion N, provided with rollers b b and pivoted to the lower end of said ladder, the upper end of said extension being of such length as when in line with the ladder to come in contact with and bear against the next succeeding round of 7o said ladder, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT G. BI ERBAClI.

Witnesses: v

C. T. BENEDICT, M. J. SCHINNER. 

